Locomotive tender



April 10, 1934. H. F. BALL 1,954,307

LOCOUOTIVE TENDER Filed Oct. 6, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet l Ely. I.

INVENTOR M April 10, 1934. H, F. BALL LOCOMOTIVE TENDER Filed Oct.

6, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I k mmuwwwfi lNVENTOR A ril 10, 1934. H. F. BALL LOCOMOTIVE TENDER Filed Oct. 6, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 10, 1934. H. F. BALL LOCOMOTIVE TENDER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed 001;. ,6, 1932 INV OR Fly 6.

Patented Apr. 10, 1934 UNITED STATES PATEN'T OFFICE:

LOCOMOTIVE TENDER Application October 6,

1 Claim.

This invention relates to locomotive tenders and is more particularly concerned with a frame structure, especially portions thereof adjacent to the forward end of the tender and thus also to the engine with which it is employed. Additionally, the invention relates to various devices or mechanisms commonly interposed between an engine and its tender, such as drawbars, buffers and the like, and a novel cooperative relationship of such structures or devices with portions of the tender frame itself.

Among the more important objects of the invention is the utilization of the available space between an engine and its tender to better advantage by recessing a buffer pocket structure in or into a portion of the tender frame, preferably the forward end sill thereof.

A further object is involved in increasing strength and rigidity, especially of the tender frame structure, in the region adjacent the location of the drawbar or bars and buffer mechanism.

Some of the more specific objects include a novel arrangement of drawbar and buffer pockets, preferably cast integral with at least a portion of the tender frame; and also interbracing means for portions of the frame and pockets referred to so as to provide the most direct possible transmission of thrusts and the like between the drawbar and the buifer mechanism, and further, to effect highly eflicient distribution of shocks, thrusts, etc., between these devices and the main or primary portion of the tender frame The nature of the present invention, as well as objects and advantages in addition to the foregoing, will appear to better advantage after a consideration of the following description making reference to the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure l is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through adjacent portions of an engine and a tender frame, the view being taken substantially on the section line 1-1 of Figure 4, with buffer elements and drawbars interposed between the vehicles, and the engine and tender frames shown constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a partial top plan view of the forward end portion of the tender frame shown in Figure 1, the buffer and drawbar parts being omitted in this view;

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the structure shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a top view of the structure shown in Figure l, with portions of the tender frame and 193.2, Serial No. 636,446

buffer mechanism shown in horizontal section; and

Figures 5 and 6 are views similar to Figures 4 and 1, respectively, illustrating a modified arrangement.

Reference is first made to Figures 1 to 4 inelusive, especially Figure 1, showing a portion of an engine frame indicated generally at A, and a portion of a tender frame similarly designated by the letter B. The frame structure of the engine carries a buffer part 7 presented toward the tender frame B, and the engine frame further embodies wall members or elements such as shown at 8, 9 and 10 which serve to define a pair of superimposed pockets 11 and 12 adapted to receive the m forward heads 13 and 14 of the usual drawbar l5 and the safety or auxiliary bar 16. A drawbar pin 1'7, passing through apertures in the wall elements 8, 9 and 10 as well as through the drawbar heads 13 and 14, serves to secure both drawbars to the engine frame.

Referring now more particularly to the tender frame structure, it is first noted that this structure includes main longitudinal beams or sill members 18 and 19, there being, in accordance with the embodiment illustrated, a pair of longitudinal sills 18 intermediate the sides of the tender frame and a pair of similarly extended side sills 19. Suitably webbed or channel cross braces or the like 20 and 21 are also extended transversely between the longitudinal structural elements.

At their forward ends, the longitudinal beams 18 and 19 are joined, preferably integrally, as by casting, with a cross tie or front sill structure generally indicated by the reference letter C. The sill structure C includes a base or rear plate or wall 22 at the upper edge of which a rearwardly extending flange 23 is preferably formed. Similar flanging may also be formed at the lower edge of the sill base 22 and, as shown most clearly in Figure 1, this portion of the frame structure includes a relatively heavy rearwardly extending horizontal wall or the like 24 which preferably unites with cross tie 21 and the lower flanges 25 of the longitudinal sills 18.

Generally vertical wall members 26 depend from the horizontal element 24 to carry an additional and subjacent horizontal wall 2'7 which, together with parts 24 and 26, serves to define a pocket 28 for receiving the rear head 29 of 10 the service bar 15.

At laterally opposite sides of this pocket struc-- ture, additional depending wall elements 30 are provided to support the shelf 31 on which the head 32 of the safety bar 16 may rest. The walls 2'7, 30 and 31, as seen in Figure 1, also serve to define a pocket which receives drawbar head 32. Both of the bars 15 and 16 are preferably secured to the tender frame by a pin 33, and below both pocket structures the pin may be provided with any suitable means, indicated generally at 34, for preventing unintentional displacement of the pin in normal service.

The drawbar pocket structures and the associated frame elements are preferably braced as by means of webs such as shown at 35.

Turning now more particularly to the front sill structure, it should be noted that at the upper and lower edges of the vertical wall 22, additional plate-like members 36 and 37 are provided, these being substantially horizontal and elongated substantially throughout the entire width of the tender, as clearly seen in Figures 2 and 3. At their outer ends, of course, the members 36 and 3'7 join the outside longitudinal sills or beams 19 (see Figure 2). A very substantial front end sill is thus provided, the strength and rigidity further being enhanced by the use of upright walls 38 which interconnect the members 36 and 3'? at spaced points intermediate the ends thereof and which, according to the present invention, are so disposed and arranged as to form, together with the upper and lower members 36 and 37, a pocket adapted to receive a buffer structure. End wall members 39 may also be provided adjacent to the point at which the ends of the sill join the outside longitudinal beams of the frame itself.

Additional bracing webs or elements 28a-28a, 41-41 and 42-42 also serve to brace the tender frame structure including its end sill and the buffer and drawbar pockets, the three sets of webs referred to all being extended in generally vertical planes. Those numbered 28a28a interconnect the lower sill member 3'? at a point adjacent to the upright partition walls 38-38 and the spaced upright members 26-26 which define the side walls of the drawbar pocket (see Figures 1 and 3). The elements 41-41 and 42-42 all extend rearwardly from the base plate 22 of the sill and join other structural parts of the frame. From inspection of Figures 1 and 2 par ticularly, it will be seen that the members 41 extend rearwardly generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tender, while the webs 42-42 are diagonally disposed. Various advantages of this bracing and webbing will be considered more in detail hereinafter.

The buffer structure which is at least partially housed within the pocket defined by the sill elements, 36, 3'7 and 38-38 includes a buffer plate proper 43 with a curved surface presented toward the element '7 carried by the engine frame. The usual chafing block 44 may be interposed between the plates 7 and 43. By reference more particularly to Figures 1 and 4, it will be seen that the buffer plate 43 is yieldingly urged outwardly and against the chafing block 44 and the element '7 by means of oppositely arranged and angled wedge devices 45 which cooperate with complementarily inclined surfaces on the rear or inside surface of the plate 43. At the base of the pocket additional wedge means 46 are inserted so as to present the proper inclined surfaces for cooperation with the wedges 45. At this point, it is noted that, by this arrangement, the buffer pressure directly reacts against the base of the pocket structure which is formed by the upright Sill wall 22.

4, it will be seen that the the wedges work By reference to Figure wedge arrangement is such that outwardly away from each other under the influence of a spring or springs 47 which act under compression between stops or abutments 48. Abutments 48, in turn, contact with collar members 49, each of which has bayonet connection lugs indicated at 50, which cooperate with cornplementary parts 51 formed on the associated wedge. Bolt 52 and nut 53, passing entirely through the buffer wedges and springs, serve as a means to compress the springs and thus relieve the buffer pressure by contact with the shanks or sleeves 54 of the abutments 48. In this way, by inserting bolt 52 in the manner shown in Figure 4 and by tightening the nut 53, the pressure of the springs is removed from the bayonet members 49 so that these members may readily be turned and thereafter displaced to permit replacement of any parts of the buifer, or adjustment of the buffer pressure, as by insertion of shimming or substitution of springs of different characteristics.

In accordance with the present invention, furthermore, the side wall elements 38 of the buffer pocket are apertured as indicated at 55 to permit insertion and removal of buifer parts such as the springs, abutments, bolt 52 and nut 53, laterally between the upper and lower sill plates 36 and 37. It will be understood, of course, that the bolt and nut device for compressing the springs would ordinarily be employed only for the purpose of making adjustments or replacements and, in normal service, this bolt would either be completely removed or the nut thereon would be loosened sufiiciently to prevent any interference with the normal expansion and contraction of the buffer springs under the influence of buffing shocks.

In accordance with the foregoing arrangement, therefore, even though the buffer is recessed and, indeed, in large part housed within the end sill of the tender frame, the various parts of the buffer are readily accessible and adjustments may be made without necessitating a disconnection of the drawbar or drawbars between the engine and tender. A further advantage of the ready accessibility of the buffer parts even though they are housed in the tender end sill will be apparent when it is considered that, in the absence of some convenient means for compressing the buffer springs, in order to disconnect the drawbars (as by removal of the pins 17 and 33), it is necessary to employ a separate engine or locomotive brought around to the rear of the tender in order to work against the buffer spring pressure and thus permit displacement of the drawbar pins. Thus, I have provided a structure in which a means for compressing the springs is readily accessible laterally of the buffer pocket even though this pocket forms a portion of the tender sill and, when it is necessary to disconnect the drawbars, this may be accomplished without the use of an additional locomotive.

Another point to be observed is the fact that, in spite of the simplicity of the mounting and housing arrangements for the buffer, the entire structure is of very great strength and is further such as to provide for the direct reaction of the buffer pressure against the base 22 of the end sill.

Further with respect to the operation of the arrangement, it is to be observed that in normal service, the buffer springs, wedges and the associated parts are all adjusted so as to maintain tension at least on the service bar 15. This, of

course, bearing in mind the relatively great weight of the engine and tender and the train of cars which may be coupled with the tender, requires very great pressure or force and, to adequately care for the strains and stresses to which the structure is subjected,it will be seen that the present arrangement not only provides a good backing for the sill element 22 at the base of the pocket structure, for example, by means of webs 41 and 42, but further makes provision for direct interconnection of the drawbar pockets and the sill in the neighborhood or region of the buffer pocket. This direct connection is obtained not only through the substantially horizontally disposed wall parts 24 and 37, but further through the generally vertical webbing 28a-28a which merges with the side walls of the upper drawbar pocket 28 (see Figure 1).

By the foregoing arrangement, the buffer pocket structure, including its base (formed by the upright Wall 22) and the upright side walls 38-38 (extended upwardly from points adjacent the webbing 41-41), is interbraced with the portion of the tender frame (drawbar pockets 28 and in a very direct and effective manner, with the result that the force of the buffer in normal operation is substantially immediately transferred to the drawbar or bars. The effective interbracing and web arrangements, furthermore, are also highly eflicient in transmitting bufing shocks between the buffer and the tender frame.

Another advantage of primary importance resides in the fact that the buffer structure is almost wholly recessed or housed within the end sill itself. This is desirable for numerous reasons including improvement resulting from the increased clearances afforded between the adjacent vehicle frames.

Turning now to the arrangement of Figures 5 and 6, it is first to be observed that, in general, the same advantages are obtained although, in this instance, a somewhat different sill construction is employed. In view of certain similarities between the structures, reference characters similar to those employed above are also applied to Figures 5 and 6 where the parts are duplicated or substantially the same. Thus, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the engine frame A carries a bufier part '7 which opposes an oppositely curved plate 43 carried by the tender frame B, there being a chafing block 44 interposed between the elements 7 and 43. The drawbar connections are also similar as suggested by the numerals 11, 12, 15, 16, 28, 40, 29, 32 and 33.

The sill structure in this form includes a base plate 22a, upper and lower transverse flanges or members 36a and 37a, and vertical bracing and wall elements 38a38a defining the ends of the buffer pocket.

In contrast to the arrangement of Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, however, the sill is not open at its outer side but is closed, at least throughout a portion of its length transversely of the tender, by a curved bracing wall 56 extended between the upper and lower members 36a and 87a. Furthermore, at least in the central portion of the sill, i. e., adjacent to the buffer pocket, the curved wall 56, while spaced a considerable distance from the base 22a, is so disposed as to permit free access to the bolt 5'? and nut 58 for compressing the buffer springs through the apertures or openings 59 in the upright webs 38a-38a. Preferably, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, when this sill construction is employed, the curved wall 56 conforms to the circumference of the openings 59 at opposite sides of the buffer pocket, and the upper and lower members 36a and 37a may be cut away somewhat as suggested at 60 and 61 in order to afford ready access to the bolt and nut 57-58.

The buffer structure itself shown in Figures 5 and 6 also differs somewhat from that heretofore considered. Here a pair of wedge elements 62 is employed between which the compression spring or springs 63 are interposed to act directly against the base or end parts 64 of the wedges. Instead of employing the removable bayonet abutment means of Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, the bolt 57 and nut 58 react more or less directly against the outer sides of wedge parts 64. A simple collar 65 may be interposed between the nut 58 and the base of the adjacent wedge in order to facilitate the use of a wrench or like tool for turning nut 58. As in the previous form, however, the bolt and nut are only employed when it is desired to compress the springs, for example, for the purpose of making adjustments by the insertion of shimming or for permitting ready and convenient coupling and uncoupling of the drawbars.

It should also be noted that a wedge backing member or members 46a are provided in the arrangement of Figures 5 and 6, and further that the buffer plate 43 again is provided with inside surfaces angled so as to cooperate with the in clined surfaces of wedges 62.

By the arrangement of Figures 5 and 6, therefore, although a sill structure at least partially closed is employed, I have still disposed the several structural elements in a manner to provide for the recessing of the buffer into the sill itself. Other advantages of the arrangement first described also fiow from the use of the structure of the two figures last referred to. By way of example, similar interbracing between the buffer and drawbar pockets is provided.

It is to be noted that no claim is made herein to the features of the buffers shown and described per se or to the general arrangement of the buffer parts, since various phases of this subject matter are described and claimed in the copending ap- T plications of George H. Zouck, Serial Numbers 486,298, filed October 4th, 1930, and 686,203, filed August 22nd, 1933.

A front sill for a tender frame including upper and lower plate-like members; a generally vertical base element interconnecting said members along their edges presented toward the tender; and additional generally upright walls interconnecting the plate-like members along their edges 71 presented away from the tender, the said additional walls being terminated in the central region of the sill to permit recessing of a buffer rearwardly into the sill to a point adjacent the base element; the sill further including upright wall parts interconnecting the upper and lower plate-like members, the base element and the said additional walls adjacent to the points of termination of the latter to define side walls for a buffer pocket; the upright wall parts which define i the sides of the buffer pocket further being apertured between the upper and lower plate-like members for lateral access to buifer parts in the pocket; and the said additional walls being disposed rearwardly of the apertures in the bufferpocket wall parts in the region where the said additional walls are connected with the bufferpocket wall parts.

HERMAN F. BALL. 

